Features
…of COVID-19 and high delivery fees
COVID-19 has pushed many consumers to jumped on online shopping because it has proven to be the most convenient way of buying during this era as people are cautioned to practice social distancing.
Stay away from overcrowded places and shopping centres are definitely places anyone mindful about their health will be careful about.
Therefore, digital marketing has become an ideal medium for businesses to promote their products and services.
Buying online is fast, easy and stress free as you confirm your order, pay for it before it’s delivered or pay on delivery but does this kind of convenience match with how much the ordinary Ghanaian has to pay as delivery fee?
Once a while I come across people ranting about how much they paid as delivery charges more than the cost price of the product they actually bought online but I flip over because it doesn’t concern me.
Lo and behold, I got my own share of how it hurts to feel that way. I was practically charged GH¢35 as delivery fee for GH¢ 20 meal I ordered from Adenta to Airport.
Honestly, I complained bitterly and called the food vendor to express my displeasure about the ridiculous fee though they reduced it to GH¢15 in the end, I paid feeling pained.
Note, it was not as if I could not afford the fee but it just did not make sense paying that much. And knowing how much they charge for deliveries in and around Accra, I just could not wrap my head around why this had to be so expensive.
On this note, I decided to conduct a social media survey on my personal blog, Kuburah Diamonds on Facebook just to be sure I was not over reacting about this particular delivery charge.
Below are the responses I sampled:
Hajia Faa Alfa said: “I think I had the worst experience ever. I bought waakye from Newtown GH¢30 and when the delivery guy got to me, he said delivery alone was GH¢50. So I asked him if what he was delivering was gold, I was so upset to the bone but I gave him the money.”
Another respondent, Jumai Abayor, ordered veils and decided to pick them up herself but the vendor gave them to delivery person and asked that she pay GH¢18 for delivery from Fan milk to Darkuman.
“I bought Jollof rice at GH¢40 from East Legon to be delivered to me at Labadi. He charged GH¢45 for delivery. I was very sick and hungry so I had no other choice but to pay never again,” Abdulai Fakiha said.
It is clear that some delivery fees charge by some business owners are becoming more expensive than the item itself.” There are similar experiences of other patrons who make orders.
Zulfawu Muntari, also an online shopper, explained “Because of high prices of delivery fee I have stopped buying online, their prices need to be regulated.”
Meanwhile others have found better ways of lessening the burden on their customers.
Muhammed Mijin Zealatu, a business owner, said: “When I started producing my own cereals, I did the deliveries myself. It was very stressful honestly but I got the chance to come to a negotiation with my customers so if the location is too far, I bear half of the delivery fee and the customer pays the rest so it wouldn’t cause any problems between them and the delivery guy.”
Another trader also said she had negotiated with the delivery company she worked with in order to manage cost incurred by customers. Others are asking their customers to pick items up themselves if the item does not require too much packaging.
I believe this issue is of much concern to many people especially in this pandemic era. It is not appropriate for business owners to take undue advantage of their patrons in the name of delivery fee.
Undoubtedly, most start ups – small to medium scale businesses fall largely on delivery services to run their day to day activities. However, they need not fleece their patrons. I suggest they take a second look at their charges.
Adizah Kuburah Braimah
Social Commentator @Kuburah Diamonds
Features
The global challenge of medical malpractice
Introduction
Medical malpractice is a significant concern worldwide, with far-reaching consequences for patients, healthcare providers, and the overall healthcare system.
It is defined as a deviation from the standard of care that results in patient harm, and can take many forms, including misdiagnosis, surgical errors, medication mistakes, and inadequate patient care.
This article provides a comprehensive overview of the issues surrounding medical malpractice, its consequences, and potential solutions.
The prevalence of
medical malpractice.
Medical malpractice is a widespread problem that affects patients in many countries. According to a study published in the Journal of Patient Safety, medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States, resulting in an estimated 251,000 deaths per year. Similarly, a study published in the British Medical Journal found that medical errors are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the UK.
Types of medical
malpractice
Medical malpractice can take many forms, including:
1. Misdiagnosis: Failure to accurately diagnose a patient’s condition, leading to delayed or inappropriate treatment.
2. Surgical errors: Mistakes made during surgery, such as operating on the wrong body part or leaving instruments inside a patient.
3. Medication errors: Prescribing or administering the wrong medication, dose, or route of administration.
4. Inadequate patient care: Failure to provide adequate care, including neglecting to monitor patients, provide necessary treatment, or respond to patient concerns.
Consequences of medical malpractice:
Medical malpractice can have severe consequences for patients, including:
1. Physical harm: Patients may experience pain, suffering, and long-term health consequences.
2. Emotional trauma: Patients and their families may experience anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
3. Financial burden: Patients may incur significant medical expenses, lost wages, and other costs.
Solutions to medical malpractice:
To address the issue of medical malpractice, many countries have implemented reforms aimed at reducing the number of claims and improving patient safety. Some potential solutions include:
1. Tort reform: Limiting the amount of damages that can be awarded in medical malpractice cases.
2. Alternative dispute resolution: Using mediation or arbitration to resolve disputes outside of court.
3. Communication and Resolution Programs (CRPs): Encouraging open communication between healthcare providers and patients, and providing fair compensation for injuries.
Conclusion
Medical malpractice is a complex issue that requires a multifaceted approach to address.
By understanding the prevalence, types, and consequences of medical malpractice, we can work towards creating a safer and more compassionate healthcare system.
Potential solutions, such as tort reform, alternative dispute resolution, and CRPs, offer promising approaches to reducing medical malpractice claims and improving patient safety.
References:
[1] Makary, M. A., & Daniel, M. (2016). Medical error—the third leading cause of death in the US. BMJ, 353, i2139.
[2] Vincent, C., Neale, G., & Woloshynowych, M. (2001). Adverse events in British hospitals: preliminary retrospective record review. BMJ, 322(7285), 517-519.
By Robert Ekow Grimmond-Thompson
Features
Life is like a quiz competition
I watched a quiz show on TV last Sunday, between two schools, Okuapeman and I think University Practice. After the first round, University Practice was leading with about 30 points and Okuapeman had nothing.
Then comes the second round of the intended four rounds of competition and at the end of the round, surprise, surprise, Okuapeman had 60 points and University Practice had either zero or 10.
In the final analysis, Okuapeman won the competition with 95 points to University Practice’s 90 or 93 points. Such is life and the mysteries of life, are difficult to fathom.
There are classmates that we thought could not amount to much in life and yet we become pleasantly surprised as time passed, about the vast improvement in their lives.
There were other mates who were obviously destined for the top, based on their academic prowess but became complete failures later on in life.
When I was in the primary school, there was a classmate who most of the time came first in the end of term exams. He was very brilliant and so he going further up the academic ladder through Secondary school, Sixth form and ending up at the University was a forgone conclusion.
However, life’s mystery set in and he ended up as a teacher in a technical school owned by his brother-in-law. He did not amount to much, became an alcoholic and eventually passed away.
The day I heard that he had passed away and his general circumstances, I felt so sad. Such is life and sometimes it is like the quiz competition I witnessed, full of uncertainties.
There was another senior in Middle School, who also was very brilliant. In fact he got a score of 254 out of 300 in the Common Entrance Examination. Many years later, in my early years at the University, I met this guy at the Tarkwa Train Station and got the shock of my life. This guy was wearing a dirty, loosely fitting singlet and his state was pitiful.
Naturally after expressing pleasantries, I asked him what he was doing in Tarkwa after telling him that I was a student at the university. He then narrated how he was dismissed from the most prestigious Secondary School in the Kwahu area after some smoking and going out without exeat issue.
He further indicated that as a result, he was then hustling and doing Galamsey to make ends meet. I would have had a hard time believing that he was doing Galamsey and not working in a reputable organisation or institution if it was told me by someone. Indeed life can sometimes be like a quiz competition, if God is not involved.
Since we are not God and therefore do not have knowledge of what the future holds, we need to treat people who come across our paths well because you never know.
When I went for the funeral of one of my aunties, on my father side, with my SUV many years ago, a lot of my relatives were surprised because they never imagined that.
When it comes to say wealth, it has nothing to do with one’s academic qualifications. We have some of the wealthiest people who were school dropouts and so we need to be careful how we treat people, because life is like a quiz competition and you never know until the competition comes to an end.
I have seen someone who was not that nice looking, the nose being flat and all, and then 12 years later, such a huge natural transformation; so never write anybody off, because life is like a quiz competition. God bless.
NB: ‘CHANGE KOTOKA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO KOFI BAAKO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT’
By Laud Kissi-Mensah
